Meeting as apprentice Mountains

The invitation here is to explore what might offer a sense of stillness and groundedness from which to meet the world.

Out in the wilderness that Buddhism explores, there's the opportunity to discover a spirit of mountainess that has no particular location. The language surrounding it can sound so abstract and heady - but. Exploring this part of reality, staying open and noticing surprises, there's the chance of discovering the Divine ground of Being as something that feels incredibly anchoring: deeply felt, known as intimately and sensually as one's own body. What is Buddha Mind? Maybe it's revealed as something solid enough to drive a tent peg into, so that the most terrible storm wouldn't uproot the sense of anchored stillness it provides. Or maybe it's revealed as solid enough to drive a mountain-climber's piton into, so that you could surrender everything to it's strength... leaping from the known rightout into space...

Out in the wilderness that Daoism explores, there's the chance to explore a spirit of mountainness that marries Heaven and Earth. Starting out as apprentice trees - learning to plunge energy down into the earth to root and go still. And then expanding to take part in the stillness of stars...taking part in a felt sense of the universe. And from that celestial view, taking part in the sense of Divine Order underlying the cosmos.

"Could you add richness to your life by just hanging out with a tree and learning about roots?"

"What gives you a sense of physical security? Could it be based on something other than the circumstances of your life?"

"How do you access a stillness from which what's stuck and stagnant can start to flow?"

Whatever unfolds in your life, it seems to matter so much to have some kind of ground to relate to it. Especially when life comes at you fast and hard. Some subtle sense of defeat can creep in. Or it becomes tempting to feel like a victim of life. It's a tricky exploration to shake loose from those perspectives. Not just to release a given story of abuse or trauma, but to begin unravelling the sense of identity as the person to whom trauma and insult happens. Very tricky territory. But also... what a direct and beautiful way to approach the project of becoming a mature human being.

So meeting as apprentice mountains is like walking mountain trails exploring your own mountain nature. Sensing into the incredible refuge within ourselves - our own Divine Spirit - that remains untouched by what’s happening on the surface. Coming to know this Ground, getting in touch with the sense of joy and love and peace that can come with it. Learning how it can provide incredible resilience to keep meeting what comes - with grace rather than simple grim endurance.

It may feel at times as if life has brought too many challenges to bear alone. At some deep, energetic level it can feel like the enemies that were once at the gates have now crashed through. Too much is happening. Something collapses and life becomes more about enduring than enjoying.

What an incredible resource then to be able to touch down and know oneself as the Ground of Being - to know that everything is ok. Even when life brings incredible suffering. Especially when life brings incredible suffering.

That's the invitation of this kind of meeting. And a great opportunity and challenge of life as well: to discover within a ground from which to meet what comes.